Plesk, Inc., a leader in automated Web hosting software, today announced the new release of Plesk Server Administrator(TM) Version 2.0. Plesk Server Administrator (PSA) is a Web-based software solution that simplifies and automates the administration of UNIX and Linux Web servers.

PSA helps Web hosting companies and their reseller clients deliver better, faster service to domain owners by simplifying server management for them. PSA enables Web hosters and their reseller clients the power to create and manage domains, and to realize new revenue opportunities through sales of services and tools to domain owners.

PSA lets domain owners' non-technical personnel perform a wide variety of self-management tasks--from creating new e-mail accounts to managing entire domains--all with point-and-click simplicity.

"In less than two years, the rapid acceptance of Plesk Server Administrator has created a broad and loyal customer base for us," said George Pappas, president and CEO of Plesk. "The new PSA 2.0 is driven by real-world input from many of these leading Web hosters, hosting resellers, and domain owners."

"As a leading provider of Dedicated Web Hosting Products and Services, we value being able to offer a turn key solution for our dedicated hosting clients. PSA 2.0 allows them the flexibility to manage resellers as well as domain level users, through a single comprehensive interface," said Graham Weston, CEO of Rackspace Managed Hosting. "PSA 2.0 will bring us closer to our customers and allow us to provide them with even better "fanatical "support-- without increasing our overhead." The domain registration features of PSA 2.0, and the ability of resellers to offer sales of domain level tools through PSA 2.0 were additional incentives for Rackspace to move to PSA 2.0, according to Weston.

Plesk Server Administrator 2.0 Features

1. Administrator Level. At the highest level, Web hosting administrators set up and manage system items like assigning IPs, services like mail relay parameters and DNS server default templates, and control panel configurations. The administrator creates system capabilities and limits for client resellers and establishes the mechanism for domain users to purchase server tools.
2. Reseller Client Level. Working within limits set by hosting administrators, reseller clients of Web hosting services can use PSA for multiple domain creation and management tasks.
   • Clients can create hosting for domains, including setting up standard and anonymous FTP service, and Web server allowances (traffic limits, scripting capabilities, FrontPage extensions, and SSL support).
   • PSA lets clients set domain-level limits on user accounts, mail accounts, and databases, manage DNS zones, and set up domain tools like Webalizer and IMP Webmail.
   • Through control panel configuration, resellers can privately label PSA as their own hosting interface, set screen paging options, and specify the control panel language.
   • Client resellers can offer new value-added domain registration and management services, and gain new revenue through sales of domain level tools.
3. Domain Owner Level. Once PSA is installed, domain owners can perform both simple and complex tasks within their domains, becoming self-reliant overnight. PSA reduces domain owners' support needs and gives them the ability to:
   • Create and manage e-mail accounts--POP3, redirects, groups, and autoresponders--all from a single screen.
   • Create new Web users within a domain.
   • Create protected directories (SSL and non-SSL) and manage directory users.
   • Administer domain SSL certificates--purchase SSL certificates, create CSRs or self-signed certificates, and install SSL certificates.
   • Use both standard and anonymous FTP services.
   • Create databases, accessing them with PHPMyAdmin and administering database users.
   • Utilize IMP Webmail e-mail service.
   • Access domain-level statistics.

   Additional Features and Specifications

   • Runs latest version of Apache, ProFTD, MySQL and PHP.
   • Handles both name-based and IP-based hosting with the same interface.
   • Manages mail exclusively (hosting not required for domain mail).
   • Provides DNS management area with quick and easy master zone file setup.
   • Supports SSL, SSI, PHP, CGI, MySQL, Perl, MS FrontPage, and Apache ASP.
   • Offers SSL and CSR creation capabilities.
   • Features a customizable interface for private labeling by hosting companies and resellers.

   Platforms and System Requirements

   PSA runs on FreeBSD 4.x and Red Hat Linux 6.2, 7.0, and 7.1 platforms. System requirements include a Pentium(R) 166 or better processor with 32MB of RAM, and a minimum of 80MB of disk space for installation on "clean servers." PSA supports Netscape 4.x or later or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x or later.